Publication: Lao PDR Economic Monitor, November 2007
Loading...
Other Files
1,179 downloads
Date
2007-11
ISSN
Published
2007-11
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
The information presented in the Lao Economic Monitor covers economic developments that have occurred in Lao PDR in the last six months (between May and October 2007). It reports on recent economic performance (Part I), progress in the implementation of the Government's policy reform agenda (Part II), and donor activities in the relevant reform areas (Part III). The report points out that Lao PDR macroeconomic performance continues to be strong, and the impact of resource sector is increasing. Real GDP growth continued to be robust at 7.6 percent in 2006 and is expected to remain above 7 percent in 2007. Manufacturing and other non-resource sectors continued to grow moderately, contributing around 5 percentage points of the above growth. However, other significant part of economic growth was contributed by the resource sectors, especially by the expansion of copper extraction and construction of large hydropower projects.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2007. Lao PDR Economic Monitor, November 2007. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/13827 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Lao PDR Economic Monitor, November 2006(Vientiane, 2006-11)Lao PDR economic performance has continued to improve during 2006. Real GDP grew at 7.0 percent in 2005 and is now expected to be slightly higher at 7.3 percent in 2006. This growth is in large part due to foreign investment inflows in mining and hydro-power and growing mineral exports, but the share of non-mining contributions has increased this year, reaching 4.9 out of 7.3 percent. Agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors are expected to sustain growth, due to rising FDI in agriculture, manufacturing, and increasing trend in services (especially tourism). Inflation (of Consumer Price Index) has continued to remain in single digits: after rising early this year it has dropped remarkably during the last few months, to 5.5 percent in September and 3.7 percent in October 2006. This paper includes the following headings: introduction; part 1 recent economic developments -- the macroeconomic situation, elaboration and implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy; part 2 structural reforms -- public expenditure policy and management, reform of state-owned enterprises, financial sector reform, trade reform, and private sector development; and part 3 donor assistance to the reform agenda -- public sector governance; reform of state owned enterprises & financial sector; trade reform; and private sector, tourism development, and land reform.Publication Rwanda : Technical Assessment on a Proposed Credit(Washington, DC, 2014-09-14)The Public Financial Management (PFM) Sector Strategic Plan (SSP) identifies key challenges and proposes solutions in each program that are translated into a foundation for defining sector priorities and outcomes through FY2017-18. Improving coherence between national strategies, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), and the annual budget process has been identified as an area for improvement under the first program, on economic planning and budgeting. In the second program, on resource mobilization, key challenges are inadequate resource mobilization, resulting in aid dependency at the national level and lack of discretionary revenues at the subnational level. Across the PFM sector, particularly under program 7, on PFM sector and coordination, capacity and skill shortages are identified as key bottlenecks. Capacity and skill shortages are more pronounced at the subnational level, especially on core PFM areas such as accounting, auditing, budgeting, and reporting. NISR made significant progress in the quality, timeliness, and dissemination of data, mainly in the social and demographic domain, under the first National Strategy for Development of Statistics, or NSDS (2009-14). The overarching objectives of NSDS 2 are to produce relevant, reliable, and timely statistics to monitor the progress of EDPRS 2 and to strengthen the NSS.Publication Public Financial Managment in Aceh : Measuring Financial Management Performance in Aceh's Local Governments(Washington, DC, 2007-03)This economic report holds that capacity in financial management varies widely across local governments in Aceh. While some local governments achieve reasonable outcomes in financial management capacity, others are lagging far behind. Capacity in key aspects of financial management also varies within individual local governments. Average outcomes indicate particular weaknesses in accounting and reporting, cash management and external audit.Publication Transforming Central Finance Agencies in Poor Countries : A Political Economy Approach(Washington, DC, 2013)This report presents the findings of a study of functions carried out by Central Finance Agencies (CFAs) that was financed jointly by the Bank Netherlands Partnership Program (BNPP), the Korean Trust Fund (KTF) and the World Bank over a three-year period from July 2008 to mid-2011. CFAs are not a single organization or entity of government but a group of ministries and agencies, of which the ministry of finance (MoF) is normally the most prominent, with collective responsibility for the design and implementation of a country's vast array of financial and fiscal policies and operations. Such policies and operations include macro fiscal analysis and forecasting, budget preparation and execution, accounting and reporting, cash and debt management, fiscal risk analysis, public procurement, tax policy and customs/revenue administration, and the regulation of financial institutions. In most developing countries, the role of CFAs is the public resources nexus of all issues with a political economy dimension. The allocation of roles and responsibilities for central finance functions among the finance ministry itself and other government agencies varies substantially from country to country. Chapter one of the reports defines the concept of a CFA-which is the array of government organizations (including notably the finance ministry) that carry out 16 core finance functions of government (budget preparation and execution, tax policy and revenue administration, procurement, and so on), that are central to the management of public finances. Chapter two summarizes the main issues and themes arising from the case studies. Substantial progress was made in identifying institutional factors that affect the capabilities of CFAs, including their organizational structures, linkages with stakeholders, availability and use of staff with appropriate skills in economics, accountancy and finance. Chapter three describes the CFA database and the questionnaire that was used by Country Management Units (CMUs) and others in compiling it. Chapter four presents the main conclusions and operational implications of the study. 'Political economy' analysis is not only important but fundamental to successful strengthening of CFAs.Publication United Republic of Tanzania Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability Review 2008(Washington, DC, 2009-06)Rising inflation represents a serious challenge for the government, including fiscal policy. By December 2008, inflation has risen to 13.5 percent, far above the government target of five percent since 2004. It is important the government continue its effort to reduce inflation through monetary and fiscal policies, including reducing inflationary pressures on the budget by controlling wage bill growth in line with medium-term pay policy. The 2008-09 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) projected optimistic targets for domestic revenue and, at a same time, pessimistic targets for foreign aid. Although domestic revenue has been rising over the recent past, the targeted 18.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in revenue effort is high given the fact that revenue has increased by only one percent of GDP annually in the past five years. It is important to improve reliability of the macro-framework by sustaining efforts to develop capacity in macro-fiscal policy and macro-modeling, which is an important tool for the government to properly assess expected levels of domestic revenue collection over the medium term. Although some major achievements have been obtained in capacity building program, priority areas for intervention have also been identified for 2009. These areas are: (i) strengthening of macroeconomic model (MACMOD) and the macro policy framework paper, taking into account the world economic crisis as well as new data developments in Tanzania; (ii) initiating MTEF upgrades (both central and sector) as well as program budgeting starting with the ministry of health and social welfare; and (iii) preparing the second edition of the budget background and medium term framework for 2009/10 - 2011/12.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.Publication World Development Report 2006(Washington, DC, 2005)This year’s Word Development Report (WDR), the twenty-eighth, looks at the role of equity in the development process. It defines equity in terms of two basic principles. The first is equal opportunities: that a person’s chances in life should be determined by his or her talents and efforts, rather than by pre-determined circumstances such as race, gender, social or family background. The second principle is the avoidance of extreme deprivation in outcomes, particularly in health, education and consumption levels. This principle thus includes the objective of poverty reduction. The report’s main message is that, in the long run, the pursuit of equity and the pursuit of economic prosperity are complementary. In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Development Indicators 2005‹an appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development.Publication Lebanon Economic Monitor, Fall 2022(Washington, DC, 2022-11)The economy continues to contract, albeit at a somewhat slower pace. Public finances improved in 2021, but only because spending collapsed faster than revenue generation. Testament to the continued atrophy of Lebanon’s economy, the Lebanese Pound continues to depreciate sharply. The sharp deterioration in the currency continues to drive surging inflation, in triple digits since July 2020, impacting the poor and vulnerable the most. An unprecedented institutional vacuum will likely further delay any agreement on crisis resolution and much needed reforms; this includes prior actions as part of the April 2022 International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff-level agreement (SLA). Divergent views among key stakeholders on how to distribute the financial losses remains the main bottleneck for reaching an agreement on a comprehensive reform agenda. Lebanon needs to urgently adopt a domestic, equitable, and comprehensive solution that is predicated on: (i) addressing upfront the balance sheet impairments, (ii) restoring liquidity, and (iii) adhering to sound global practices of bail-in solutions based on a hierarchy of creditors (starting with banks’ shareholders) that protects small depositors.Publication The Journey Ahead(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-31)The Journey Ahead: Supporting Successful Migration in Europe and Central Asia provides an in-depth analysis of international migration in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) and the implications for policy making. By identifying challenges and opportunities associated with migration in the region, it aims to inform a more nuanced, evidencebased debate on the costs and benefits of cross-border mobility. Using data-driven insights and new analysis, the report shows that migration has been an engine of prosperity and has helped address some of ECA’s demographic and socioeconomic disparities. Yet, migration’s full economic potential remains untapped. The report identifies multiple barriers keeping migration from achieving its full potential. Crucially, it argues that policies in both origin and destination countries can help maximize the development impacts of migration and effectively manage the economic, social, and political costs. Drawing from a wide range of literature, country experiences, and novel analysis, The Journey Ahead presents actionable policy options to enhance the benefits of migration for destination and origin countries and migrants themselves. Some measures can be taken unilaterally by countries, whereas others require close bilateral or regional coordination. The recommendations are tailored to different types of migration— forced displacement as well as high-skilled and low-skilled economic migration—and from the perspectives of both sending and receiving countries. This report serves as a comprehensive resource for governments, development partners, and other stakeholders throughout Europe and Central Asia, where the richness and diversity of migration experiences provide valuable insights for policy makers in other regions of the world.